[Archived] How Well Did Our Debutants Do On Saturday?

[tonyoz]

I decided to do a detailed Player Watch analysis of our 3 debutants. I hope you find it interesting. Sorry, I ran out of steam for the second half!

Watt

7 Receives a chest high ball but a defender challenges and clears.

9 Fails to control Marshall’s quick pass.

18 Tries to dribble into the box but is dispossessed. Qxford break forward.

20 Receives ball but is challenged and loses control.

22 Receives a throw in, dribbles but is dispossessed.

26 A promising Rovers attack fizzles out as Watt’s pass is terrible.

28 Receives in our own half with back to goal. Lays off.

29 Receives on half-way, wriggles past defender and lays off forward to set up a promising attack.

33 Receives on half way and drives forward……………..but miscontrols. Poor!

34 Receives the ball with his back to goal. He bamboozles 2 defenders and slides a great ball into the box for Jackson, who is fouled. Penalty!

38 Collects a clearance under pressure and slides the ball forward to Bennett who returns the ball square and perfect along the edge of the box. Watt drives straight at the keeper when he should have scored.

39 After a Rovers corner, he manages to reach a header near the side of the box but it lacks power and the goalie collects easily. He should have headed back across goal.

42 Tangles with a couple of defenders as he challenges for a clearance. He loses out and seems slow to make a second challenge.

43 Receives a clearance but falls under a challenge….no foul (correctly).

45 Dispossesses defender at a throw in and dribbles towards goal. Lays off well to Conway on the wing and Spurr puts in a decent cross but Oxford clear.

46 Dispossesses defender half way in Oxford’s half and runs towards goal. He fires a great shot in low from the edge of the penalty area for a debut goal.

Jackson

4 Outpaces 2 defenders in a chase towards goal – they have to bring him down for a free kick in a dangerous position. Could have been a red! He’s wick that lad!

13 Receives a bouncing ball in the box and goes down just outside……no foul…………he gets up and challenges again and wins a free kick this time! Defenders and crowd claiming he dived.

14 Receives and lays off to Conway in a tight situation. Conway gets in a cross.

15 Loses aerial challenge for long-ball hoof.

17 Flicks on a long-ball hoof…..no Rover ahead of him.

18 Loses aerial challenge.

20 Races in to make the goalie panic as he is about to clear downfield.

25 Receives a looping ball under great pressure. He falls to the ground and still manages to toe-poke the ball to a Rover.

25 Flicks Marshall’s pass into the box to Evans but there is no one else in support.

27 Jackson challenges Qxford’s short corner and deflects it for another corner.

31 Challenges but gives away a free kick.

32 Harasses winger in our own half.

34 Chases a great ball into the box, goes down (easily!) and it’s a penalty.

40 Still harassing defenders.

41 Offside.

45 Marshall throws the ball to him but he is surrounded by huge defenders!

Ward

8 Gets his foot in as attacker collects a long ball

8 Wins aerial challenge

21 Flicks his header from a corner and goalie saves acrobatically.

22 Diving header clearance from the box (but under no pressure).

22 Wins a simple low challenge.

28 Clears a long ball pumped into our right corner under pressure from an attacker.

30 Excellent challenge on the edge of the box to snuff out a dangerous attack. The timing had to be perfect. He wins the throw in.

32 Collects a ball to the channel under pressure and clears to Steele.

38 Comprehensive headed clearance of an Oxford free kick which leads to a promising attack.

40 Simple clearance.

43 In the right position in the box to block an attempted cross but his volleyed clearance was a bit aimless.

44 Blocks off the route to goal with his huge frame as an attacker enters the box.

Other observations:

1 If I had analysed Bennett’s contribution, I would’nt have needed much ink!

2 Hanley was magnificent.

[perthblue02]

Wow , top work. Watched the full game on Rovers player last night , and although it can be said it was only Oxford there certainly seemed to be a bit more get up and go compared to previous games. Definitely a work in progress so fingers crossed this season should see us safely mid table and the end product next season should hopefully see us challenging at least the play offs

[Stuart]

Makes depressing reading Tony. I guess most attacking minded players games would read like Watt's but we are now reliant on him to fill a void. Hope Danny Graham and Jordi Gomez can contribute.

[oldjamfan1]

Makes depressing reading Tony. I guess most attacking minded players games would read like Watt's but we are now reliant on him to fill a void. Hope Danny Graham and Jordi Gomez can contribute.

No it doesn't Stuart. It reads as though the three of them had decent debuts.

If you're referring to the fact that Rhodes has gone then I'm afraid you (and all of us) are just going to have to suck up and see how we get on without him. There's little point dragging every thread down. He's a Boro player now and we must move on. Had the post outlined three dreadful individual performances devoid of any endeavour, attacking intent or skill, THAT would have made depressing reading.

[VinjayV4]

Wow , top work. Watched the full game on Rovers player last night , and although it can be said it was only Oxford there certainly seemed to be a bit more get up and go compared to previous games. Definitely a work in progress so fingers crossed this season should see us safely mid table and the end product next season should hopefully see us challenging at least the play offs

Didn't know they replayed full games on there. Might as well get it now then.

[Stuart]

No it doesn't Stuart. It reads as though the three of them had decent debuts.

If you're referring to the fact that Rhodes has gone then I'm afraid you (and all of us) are just going to have to suck up and see how we get on without him. There's little point dragging every thread down. He's a Boro player now and we must move on. Had the post outlined three dreadful individual performances devoid of any endeavour, attacking intent or skill, THAT would have made depressing reading.

Read Tony Watt's write up again.

YOU brought Rhodes up so stop playing the WUM.

[oldjamfan1]

Read Tony Watt's write up again.

YOU brought Rhodes up so stop playing the WUM.

I don't need to read it again Stuart, I understood it perfectly well the first time I read it. It was his first game after only just meeting his team mates and maybe having one training session with them. This describes his first 45 minutes and he set one up and scored one. What's depressing about that?

I wasn't winding anyone up - I'm genuinely baffled as to why that makes depressing reading?

Oh, and if you think this isn't bringing Rhodes up you're being disingenuous - you may not have mentioned his name but you might as well have done.

"I guess most attacking minded players games would read like Watt's but we are now reliant on him to fill a void."

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Makes depressing reading Tony. I guess most attacking minded players games would read like Watt's but we are now reliant on him to fill a void. Hope Danny Graham and Jordi Gomez can contribute.

Watt was decent on Saturday. He did far more then certain other strikers did the week before against Charlton or Newport.

[perthblue02]

Didn't know they replayed full games on there. Might as well get it now then.

They have been putting the full games up for a while, usually online a couple of days after the match

[Jimmy612]

I don't need to read it again Stuart, I understood it perfectly well the first time I read it. It was his first game after only just meeting his team mates and maybe having one training session with them. This describes his first 45 minutes and he set one up and scored one. What's depressing about that?

I wasn't winding anyone up - I'm genuinely baffled as to why that makes depressing reading?

Oh, and if you think this isn't bringing Rhodes up you're being disingenuous - you may not have mentioned his name but you might as well have done.

"I guess most attacking minded players games would read like Watt's but we are now reliant on him to fill a void."

I wouldn't worry too much about Stuart, OJF. Have you never had children? Naturally when they don't get their way they have a tantrum and no matter what else is offered to appease them it is never, ever good enough! Watt could have scored 6 on Saturday and it would have made depressing reading to Stuart, simply because we sold Rhodes. He'll also be riled because Lambert said just about word for word what many of us have been trying to drum into his and others heads for about 3 years now.

As it is he set up Jackson to win the penalty, scored a goal and from what I can read above had other positive moments throughout his first 45mins in a Rovers shirt. Can't have asked too much more, surely?

[Lancaster Rover]

I'd love to read a minute by minute of Rhodes

1. Fails to close down

2. Jogs across penalty area

3. Loses aerial battle

4. Touch like a baby elephant

And so on and so forth

[tonyoz]

OK I’m going to do it: Second half…………..Watt only. I remembered he had been subbed early so I want to see if his touch improved as he settled in.

Watt

Wow…………………I don’t believe it! He is taken off after an hour………………….and hasn’t touched the ball once in the second half!!!!!!!

[Blueandwhitemike]

Great stuff Tony

Watt was poor for that first 30 minutes, but as he worked out where to find the space he was excellent.

Rovers player is well worth it these days if you can't get to games, particularly if you live abroad and can avoid the result (though you have to be clever not to see it on the rovers player page when loading it up). The games are on less than 24 hours after, usually by midday UK time, I've gotten to see most of the games this season.

Commentary is still the same mind, and the performances haven't been very exciting of late but with players like Watt and Gomes that's bound to improve.

[tonyoz]

Rovers player is well worth it these days if you can't get to games, particularly if you live abroad and can avoid the result (though you have to be clever not to see it on the rovers player page when loading it up). The games are on less than 24 hours after, usually by midday UK time, I've gotten to see most of the games this season.

Commentary is still the same mind, and the performances haven't been very exciting of late but with players like Watt and Gomes that's bound to improve.

I love it! But I never try to avoid the result - I'm one of the saddos who sit up till 1 am waiting for the audio commentary to begin!

[sambo]

I was there at Oxford, and even when Watt gave the ball away I was nevertheless encouraged. At least we have a player now who is willing to try and make things happen - obviously it won't always work, but it's a nice new change in dimension and a welcome departure from our usual predictable play, which would either be a long ball upfield or an easily telegraphed and very slow pass out wide.

[Iceman]

What is the cost of Rovers Player?

[sambo]

What is the cost of Rovers Player?

http://www.player.rovers.co.uk/Buy/

[perthblue02]

What is the cost of Rovers Player?

http://www.player.rovers.co.uk/Buy

[Iceman]

Monthly for me is not too bad. The Rand(our currency) is pretty bad against the pound. Something like R22 for 1 pound. So that equates to less than R100 so not bad per month

[J*B]

When players are running and people like Watt does he is bound to lose possession. Watch how often even the top players in that 'second striker' position lose the ball, its part of the process.

[sambo]

When players are running and people like Watt does he is bound to lose possession. Watch how often even the top players in that 'second striker' position lose the ball, its part of the process.

Exactly. I'd much prefer him to try and make things happen rather than play a slow, laboured, backwards pass that does nothing to worry the opposition.

[tonyoz]

Exactly. I'd much prefer him to try and make things happen rather than play a slow, laboured, backwards pass that does nothing to worry the opposition.

Indeed. No one seems to mention this much but I've been impressed with Marshall's willingness to drive forward from defence and he has made some neat forward passes too.

[Lancaster Rover]

Marshall is far better at RB, he gets a little bit more time on the ball to pick a pass and when attacking he is able to build up a head of steam and go passed his man. He often failed to beat his man at RW as he isnt quick enough from a standing start, resulting in him cutting back inside very often.

[Give 'Em the Axe]

Wow , top work. Watched the full game on Rovers player last night , and although it can be said it was only Oxford there certainly seemed to be a bit more get up and go compared to previous games. Definitely a work in progress so fingers crossed this season should see us safely mid table and the end product next season should hopefully see us challenging at least the play offs

Hey! I've just signed up for that. Wasn't aware of it before your post. Looking forward to sitting up the laptop on and the headphones plugged in. Cheers.